…this study suggests that a conservative way of family life does not work in the modern world unless it is anchored in a community—be it religious or otherwise—that lends social, economic, and cultural support to that way of life. So, churches—especially conservative Protestant ones—need to be a lot more supportive of the young married couples in their pews and outside of their pews.
All the old, dark secrets in the modern pews
“What ties all of this together is silence,” said Dennis. “We have resources to help people with these issues and those resources will only get better. … But nothing really matters if our pastors and our people remain silent and refuse to take this issue seriously. At some point, we have to talk about pornography in our pulpits and pews.”
Honoring Your Parents While Disagreeing With Them
But as we grow into adulthood, one of the most difficult transitions we undertake is the separation of certain beliefs from our parents. Not everyone experiences this distinction from their parents, but I’d say a majority do. I know I did and I still have some beliefs that are very different from my parents.
So, how do we go about disagreeing with our parents while also keeping the commandment to “honor thy father and mother”? Here are five things to keep in mind when we face disagreements with our parents:
Five Things This Christian Learned From Islam: Community
This week I want to look at community, specifically community intimacy through shared practice, community accountability, and global community. The word in Islam for community is ummah and it could be loosely compared to the fellowship of believers, like what I read about in the book of Acts where the believers meet together, worship together, and share food and possessions.
Again I am struck by how much liturgical traditions have in common with aspects of Islam, and how far outside these traditions the practice of many evangelicals (myself prime among them) falls.
I Tweet & Apollos Blogs, But God…
To bloggers, podcasters, and platform-builders, I have a message for you. Actually, Paul has a message for you: Do it for Christ’s glory and not your own. Be a sharer, a collaborator, rather than a selfish competitor. The end of the road for us is not riches or fame or glory, but reclaiming a lost world for Jesus and deepening faith in the Crucified One.
Seductress or Servant: Managing the Addictive Power of Social Media
What I didn’t take into consideration is what regular engagement on social media could do to me. It is addictive, especially to a praise junky like myself. I liked the attention without the demand that goes with congregational ministry. I found that being vulnerable and confessional was too close to narcissistic obsession for me to resist. I learned that my addiction to attention cultivated as a preacher could become even unhealthier online. Next thing you know, social media and blogging began to pull me away from the people I loved and pulled me away from being the man I wanted to be.
U.S. Customers Are Hoarding $13.4bn Of Old iPhones
Around half of U.S. consumers are hoarding their old iPhones in cupboards and sock drawers — representing an inventory worth around $13.4 billion in total.
According to the annual “Mobile Mountain Study” conducted by research group OnePoll for resale site SellCell.com, this figure is down from the 55% of people who admitted to holding onto their old smartphones last year — although the total amount of money being left on the table is up from last year’s sum of $9 billion, thanks to the growing smartphone market.
Police: Robber armed with chainsaw had flower pot on head
Investigators said Steven Frank Steele, 19, of Leichhardt, had a flower pot over his head to conceal his identity and was holding a running chainsaw when he entered the 7-Eleven store in Flinders View about 4:30 a.m. Monday, the Queensland Times reported Thursday.
Wanted man hitches ride with plainclothes police officer
Carabinieri police said the 37-year-old Romanian man was hitchhiking near Verona this month when a plainclothes officer felt he looked “wrong” and decided to pick him up, ANSA reported Thursday.
The officer pretended to be giving the man a ride home, but instead took him to the police barracks, where he unsuccessfully attempted to flee, police said.